NEW YORK >> Alex Wood was in a joking mood Friday about his left triceps injury.

The Dodgers’ pitcher said he sustained the injury on a swing last weekend in San Diego, a game in which he finished 0 for 2 at the plate. His modest four-game hitting streak ended that day and he hasn’t picked up a bat since.

“That’s why it ended,” Wood said of the streak. “It happened in my first AB.”

Jokes are good for the soul, and the prognosis for Wood’s injury isn’t bad either. The left-hander said he could have started Friday on five days’ rest. Instead he’ll start Monday in Chicago against the Cubs.

“I probably could’ve thrown (Friday), but you don’t know what’s going to happen after — after that start, is there going to be something that causes me to miss actual time? Give me a few extra days to Monday to let it subside completely. Hopefully be in the clear the rest of the way out.”

Wood described the decision to delay his next start by three days as a “compromise.” He plans to throw a light bullpen session Saturday.

This is the first time he’s dealt with such an injury.

“It’s not too often I get something from swinging a bat,” he said. “It’s kind of a weird ordeal. It’s been something new for me.”

Dodgers pitcher Scott Kazmir has been limited to bunting and half-swings for weeks now because of a sore spot near his left thumb. Wood, who hasn’t taken batting practice at all this week, acknowledged he might have to do the same.

“Hopefully we’ll have a bunch of guys on base so I can lay down a sacrifice,” he said.

Yimi Garcia update

In order to make room on the 40-man roster for Julio Urias, the Dodgers placed pitcher Yimi Garcia the 60-day disabled list. He cannot be activated before June 22.

Garcia hasn’t appeared in a game since April 22, when he experienced discomfort in his right biceps. He hasn’t thrown a baseball since.

To make room for Urias on the 25-man roster, reliever Luis Avilan was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday. The Dodgers have six starting pitchers, seven relievers and 12 position players on their active roster.

Also

Scott Van Slyke made his first start in left field for Triple-A Oklahoma City. He’s expected to rejoin the Dodgers when they return home next week. … Urias became the first Dodger player ever to wear a number 78 jersey. … Felix Hernandez (19 years, 118 days), who debuted in 2005, is the only teenage pitcher other than Urias to start a game this century. … The last Dodger teenager to appear in a game was Fernando Valenzuela, who made his debut out of the bullpen on Sept. 15, 1980 at 19 years, 319 days.